Process and apparatus for weaving fabrics



May 24, 1932. P. MATTLER 1,859,571

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING FABRICS Filed Nov. 155, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l Elllllllllllllllllllllll l A 5: 65 3 1 62 lll'lll 60 lllllll J. F' o .lffl'f. 46

33 24 Z 56 22 O Q o b i 1 a 0 8 5] ll I ll t I I y a/rwe/u/ltov PETER MA T 7 L ER,

Hi 5 W 2 a V I May 24, 1932. P. MATTLER 1,359,571 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FDR WEAVING FABRICS Filed Nov. 15, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 2 c o o u o a Q May 24, 1932. P. MATTLER PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING Filed Nov. 13, 1929 FABRTCS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 24, 1932 PAT-E:

PETER MATTLER, on ST. LOUIS, rarssonnr, ASSIGNOR. TO Jonnson-smnrnnns & SHINKLE SHOE COMPANSLOF sr. Louis, Miss-cum, a oonronnrron or MISSOURI rnocnss Ann ArrAnArUs'roawEevmefrA nics Application filed November 13, 1929. Serial No. 406,742.

This invention pertains to weaving and Figure 3-is a detailed V16W somewhat enmore particularly to a process and mechanism adapted for weaving fabrics from strips of leather or the like.

In the manufacture of certain types of shoes the uppers are constructed of a woven fabric of leather strips. In many styles the fabric is woven of strips of different color so as to obtain decorative effects. The decorative effect is greatly'enhanced by weaving into the fabric a suitable pattern carried out in different colors of leather.

One of the objects of this invention, therefore, is to provide an apparatus'for weaving fabrics of strips of materials capable of automatically weaving a pattern into the fabric.

Another object is to provide such a machine in which the pattern may be changed in a corn venient manner. 7 7

Another object is to provide such a machine which will automatically weave a predetermined pattern and in which such a pattern will be repeated at definite intervals;

Another object is to provide mechanism whereby the pattern maybe changed by a simple operation of the machine.

Another object is to provide a machine whereby the patterns in three or more different colors maybe executed. a

Another object is to providea' machine which will receive the raw material in, the form of a broad band, out the bands into strips suitable for weaving and weavethe cut strips into a suitable fabric.

Another object is to provide such a machine whereby a plurality of bands of different colored materials may be supplied to the machine and which will cut the same into strips and arrange the cut strips to provide the warp fora suitable fabric.

Another object is to provide a novel process forforming the warp for Weaving such fabrics.

Further objects will appear from the following description taken injconnection with the accompanyingdrawings', in which:

Figure 1 is a. side view of the machine embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a detailed view somewhat enlarged taken about on-line 2-2 of Figure 3.

larged taken about on line 3 3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is anenlarged detailed planview of the tensioning device shown in Figure l.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed view of the selector drum. Y

Figure (i is a transverse section of Figure 5. Figure 27 movement for the selector drum. T F igure 8 is a perspective detail of a means for locking the drum. 1

Figure 9' is an enlarged detailed View illustrating the feeding and cutting of a plurality of bands of material; and 7 Figure 10 is a plan view ofFigure'9 showing the spreading of the strips to form the warp. i

Referring now to the drawings, 1 designates a frame which may be of angle iron or other suitable material and upon which'the other mechanism is mounted. Mounted on the frame 1 is a superstructure 2 which carries a plurality of heddles 3 which may be similar in. construction and arrangement to the heddles of any ordinary loom.-. The heddles 3 are each connected by a spring 1 tea transverse bar 5 onthe frame 1. Attheir isadetailed view of the driving upper ends; the heddles3 are each hung, upon a chain 6 or other flexible tension member passing over pulleys 7 and secured at its other end to a vertically movable actuator 8.

It will beseen, therefore, that downward movement ofany'actu'ator will'operate to raise the corresponding heddle. Each actuator 8 is provided at its upper end with a rearwardly extending hook 9 adapted to enwith a forwardly projecting lug or camll and at its lower end with a rearwardly directcd hook'12; I

. Mounted" for vertical sliding movement in a guide 13 on the frame 1 is-a bar 14 carrying at its upper end a transverse bar 15. The lower-end of the bar 14 has pivoted thereto a link-16 whose lower end is pivotally connected at lTwith an arm'18'pivoted at its'other gage the-horizontal cross bar 10 on the supera cam 21 on a countershaft 22 which is geared to another countershaft 23 driven by a motor 24. The form of the cam 21 is such that upon rotation thereof the arm 18 is periodically swung up and down so as to impart to the bars 14 and 15 a periodic up and down movement. The bar 15 is thus adapted to provide a driver for the actuators8; as will presently be more fully described.

Mounted for rotation in a rocking bracket 25 pivoted at 26 on the superstructure 2 is a drum 27. The drum 27 has a shaft 28 which carries at one end a ratchet wheel 29. The spring-pressed pawl 30 is pivoted to a bell crank 31 rocking on the shaft 28 and whose other armis pivoted to a link 32. The link .32 extends downwardly and is pivoted at its lower end to a lever 33 pivoted at 34 to the bracket 19'and carrying at its other end a cam roller 35, engaging a cam 36 on the shaft 22. Rotation of the shaft 22 will, therefore, cause the link 32 to reciprocate vertically thereby rocking the bell crank 31 so as to cause the pawl 30 to rotate the ratchet wheel 29 and, therefore, the shaft 28 and the drum 27 intermittently in accordance with the movement of the link 32.

The drum 27 is provided with a series of threaded sockets 37 adapted to receive the corresponding threaded ends of a series of selectors 38. The selectors 38 extend outwardly from the drum 27 so that when properly aligned they will engage the lugs 11 on the actuator 8 as thedrum rotates. Such engagement will cause the rotation of the drum to move the selector against the cam 11 so as to swing the actuator 8 rearwardly to such a position that its hook 12 will engage the lower edge of the driver 15 when the latter reaches the upper end of its travel. Such engagement will then cause the actuator 8 to be carried downwardly by the next stroke of the driver thereby raising the correspondind heddle 3. Upon the succeeding upward stroke ofthe driver 15 the hook 9 of the actuator 8 will be brought into engagement with the cross bar 10 which provides a stop tending to arrest the movement of the actuator which thereupon pivots about the stop 10 so as to carry the hook 12 out of engagement with the driver 15.

It will be seen that this mechanism provides that upon rotation of the shaft 22 the driver 15 will be moved up and down periodically and the drum 27 will be rotated intermittently. The relation is such that their respective actuators.

be lifted to form the shed for weaving the fabric. After each shed is formed, the operator passes a strip of material therethrough transversely in the usual manner and drives the same home by means of a batten 39. As the selectors 38 may be positioned on the drum 27 in any predetermined arrangement, the heddles 3 may be lifted in such sequence as to form a desired pattern in the fabric. 1

The selectors 38 may be arranged on the drum 27 in two or more groups. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, two groups are used. As shown in Figure 2 the selectors opposite the two right hand actuators are arranged in alignment with those actuators and in such a manner as to move those two actuators automatically into engagement with the driver 15. 7 It will be noted that the remaining selectors are positioned selectors only the first of which is operative.

As the heddles corresponding to this group are arranged to lift alternate strips of the warp, the adjustment of the machinewill weave a basket pattern.

The other group of selectors which in the case illustrated includes all the other selectors in the drum may be arranged to weave a more complicated pattern; In order to bring this group into operative relation with the actuators, the drum 27 is moved axially to bring these selectors into alignment with In order to accomplish this, the bracket 25 is fixed to its pivot bar 26 which is slidable in bearings 40 on the superstructure 2. The bar 26 carries a locking ring'41, (see Fig. 8), adapted to engage either one of two notches 42 in a bar 43 on the superstructure 2 to lock the rod 26 against endwise movement. This fixes the position of the bracket 25' with a given group of selectors in alignment with their actuators. The ring 41 has a notch 44 which,

when. the bracket 25'is rocked forwardly against the tension of a spring 45, registers with the bar 43 so as to permit endwise movement of the bracket. The bracket may be shifted endwise, a distance equal to half the interval between the selectors so as to bring the other group of selectors into alignment with their actuators. This also moves the ring 41 into registry with the other notch 42so that when the bracket is released and moved back to its normal position by the spring 45 the ring 41 will enter the other notch 42 and again lock the drum in its new position.

Accordingly, the selectors may be arranged in a plurality of different groups each adapt ed to weave a different pattern and the drum may be shifted selectively to one or another group witho t any other-adjustment of the machine.

The. material which isto form the warp is sent: tothe; machine in the form of a broad band 46. The band 46-passesgthrough .a tensioning device. comprisinga series of rollers 47 mounted ,ina bracket 48 and arranged :so that the band may be passed aroundisaid rollers successively as shown inFigure 1. A pair of guides 49- may be slidably mounted upon'the rollers 47 and arranged, to: be ;adjusted toward or from each other-by means of :a screw .50 having --right and left hand threads engaging their respective guides as indicatedin Figure 4. These guidesmay thus; be adjusted tothewidth oftheband 46..

Pivoted at 51 in the'bracket '48 is a pair of arms 52 carrying at their upper ends a roller 53. The-arms .52 are. each provided with an extension 54 engaged by a spring 55 to tension the arms 52. A strip 56 loosely mounted in the bracket 48 is yieldingly forced into engagement with a corresponding stationary strip 57 fixed to the bracket 48. The tension on the strip 56 is provided by a screw 58 adjustably mounted in an arm 59 fixed to the pivot rod 51. The springs 55 acting through the rod 51 tension the arm 59 so as to force the screw 58 against the strip 56. The band 46 is passed downwardly between the strips 56 and 57 which provides a brake for tensioning the band. The latter then passes around the roll 47 as shown in Fig. 1, and usually under the roller 53 which is also tensioned by the arms 52. The band then passes over guiding rollers 60 similar to the roller 47 and thence between a series of cutting wheels 61 and a platen or backing roll 62. The cutter 61 and the roll 62 are driven by a suitable gear from a shaft 63 which in turn is driven by a chain 64 from the shaft 23 as indicated in Figure 1. For a detailed description of these cutters reference may be had to applicants pending application Serial No. 349,337, filed March 23, 1929. i

The cutters 61 cut the band 46'into narrow either one or a plurality of different bands is passed through the tensioning device to the cutter. The cut strips are then passed through the spacer frame 65, if necessary, and then through the heddles 3. The grouping of the strips in the heddles 3 will, of

1 strips will I tion.

courseubeaarranged in accordance with the patternto be woven- 1 i .Theselectors 38,. are arranged on the drum in sucha. way as to provide the weaving of the desired pattern. YVh'emthe motor ,25cis started the driver .15 isydriven with a vertical up .and downmoveme-nt. At the same time the drum 27 isrotated one stepiat a time theaction of the-link 32. The movement of the drum is timed with that of the driver sothat at each-stroke of the driver anew set of selectors will be moved to opeiw ate the corresponding actuators 8. The actuators engaged bythe-selectors 38 are moved rearwardly so, that the hooks 12. thereof engaged the driver .15 which then descends carrying the selected actuator downwardly and raising the corresponding heddles 3.

Upon the return stroke, of the. driver1f5 the hooks 9 of the rising actuators engage the stop 10 so that their lower endsare carried forwardly to disengage themfrom the driver.

In-this waythe heddles 3. are raised in a riety of color patterns maybe produced by the automatic operation offa machine.

The guide roller and tensionwdevices insure that the band et6 will be fed to the cutters in a smooth and. even manner so that the cut all be of .uniform and equal width.

Itwill be seen, therefore, that this invention provides a process andapparatus whereby a plurality of broad bands of material may be cutlIliZO'IIiLlI'OW strips and a fabric woven from the cut strips in a single operathe resulting fabric by providing the originalbands in different colors and arrangecertainv individual. features and sub-combinationsmay be useful alone or without refer- Vario designs maybe Worked into P5215 enceto other features thereof. Itis under-t,

stood accordingly, that the employment of such individual features and sub-combinations is contemplated byt-his invention and is within the scope of the appended claims.

It is further obvious that various changes may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, in the details of construction Without departing from the spirit of this invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and/0r described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In the art of Weaving fabrics, the process comprising, feeding a plurality of broad bands of material. in layers, cutting thru the layers to cut the bands into strips, and spreading the cut strips to provide the warp for thewoven fabric.

'2. In the art of weaving fabrics, the process comprising, feeding a plurality of broad bands of material in layers, cutting thru the layers to cut the hands into strips, and spreading the cut strips from difierent bands in'a definite relative order to-provide the warp for the woven fabric.

3. In the art of weaving fabrics, the process comprising, feeding a plurality of broad bands of different colored materials in layers, cutting thru the layers-to cut the bands into strips, and spreading the cut strips to provide the warp for the woven fabric.

4. In the art of Weaving fabrics, the process comprising, feeding a plurality of broad bands of different colored materials in layers, cutting thru the layers to cut the bands into strips, spreading the cut strips to provide the warp for the woven fabric, and manipula ing the cut strips of different colors so as to weave a pattern. 7

5. A machine for weaving fabrics, comprising, weaving mechanism adapted to receive a Warp composed of fiat strips, means for feeding a broad band of material, means for cutting the band into a plurality of flat strips to provide the warp for said weaving mechanism, and means for tensionmg and flattening the band as it approaches said cutting means.

6. A machine for weaving fabrics, comprising, weaving mechanism adapted to receive a Warp composed of flat strips, means strips to provide-the warp for said weaving mechanism, and means for guiding the band to said cutting means including an adjustable brake having jaws adapted to clamp the band able brake having jaws adapted to clamp the V band with yielding pressure, and yielding band tensioning means between said brake and said cutting means.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature this 24th day of October, 1929.

PETER MATTLER.

for feeding a broad band of material, means for cutting the band into a plurality offlat strips to provide the warp for said weaving mechanism, and means for guiding the band to said cutting means including band retarding means and yielding band tensioning means between said retarding means and said cutting means.

7. A machine for weaving fabrics, comprising, weaving mechanism adapted to receive a Warp composed of flat strips, means for feeding a broad band of material, means for cutting the band into a plurality of flat 

